Strength Through Community in this month's issue of Conservative Judaism
The United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism Spring 2011 issue includes an article on LGBT bullying.
Strength Through Community and Congregation Beit Simchat Torah are mentioned in D'ror Chankin-Gould's article, "It Gets Better."
"The Jewish community responded to It Gets Better via the Strength Through Community project, created in the fall of 2010 by New York City’s Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in partnership with Keshet (keshetonline.org) and Nehirim (nehirim.org). Keshet’s director, Idit Klein, said, “Growing up I didn’t know anyone who was openly gay and Jewish, or even openly gay. But what I did see all around me was how cruel people could be if they suspected you were gay. I’ll never forget one day in Algebra II. My friend Daniel, who wasn’t out but everyone thought was gay, was sitting behind me. A guy who regularly tormented Daniel walked by, and shouted ‘Daniel’s a faggot and going to die of AIDS!’… I turned around and gave Daniel a sympathetic look but none of us said a word, including our teacher.” Klein’s message of optimism comes when she goes on to talk about founding Keshet and working with educators, rabbis, youth group leaders, and teenagers who are banding together to build a Jewish world that will be better. She says, “I know that you may feel alone, but I want you to know that you are really not alone.”
